NASHVILLE, TN — Vivian Wilhoite, Assessor of Property for Metro Nashville and Davidson County has provided recognizable work apparel for her field staff so property owners will be able to identify them while they are viewing their property for legitimate ad valorem(or value assessment)purposes. Each day, the Metro Assessor’s Office has staff in the field to visually inspect the more than 257,000 residential and commercial parcels of property to identify new construction or to determine if changes have been made to existing structures which might impact the property’s value. Assessor Wilhoite says she wants owners to have confidence that the person inspecting an individual’s property is performing a legitimate valuation function for assessment and is from the Assessor’s Office.
“For both the property owners and our staff, it is a safety issue,” says Assessor Wilhoite. “Each field appraiser will have Metro-issued identification badges. We also want them to wear a form of clothing that is easily visible to the property owner to let them know the person approaching is a Metro representative.”
The Assessor’s Office field staff will be issued polo shirts, sweaters and jackets which are dark gray and crested with the Metro seal. The words “Property Assessor” will be embroidered just above the seal. It is the first time field staff from the Assessor’s Office have been issued identifiable apparel.
Assessor Wilhoite says field staff from her office will always be glad to explain why they are visually inspecting a property for changes or improvements. Property owners may also call the Metro Assessor’s Office at (615) 862-6080 or go to the website at www.padctn.org for more information. Assessments by the Office of the Assessor are an essential component of maintaining a fair property tax system in order to generate 46% of Metro Nashville’s $2.3 billion budget.